Extinguishers



April 25, 1961 A. c. ELSWOOD EXTINGUISHERS Filed April 13, 1959 lblnr "WI/w INVENTOR.

ARTHUR C. ELSWOOD ZZZ fi/ A 7' TORNE VS Unite 2,981,263 EXTINGUISHERS Arthur C. Elswood, 5221 Hemlock St., Sacramento 21, Calif.

Filed Apr. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 805,920

This invention relates to extinguishers containing a liquid for cigarettes, cigars, and the like.

The extinguisher of this invention is adapted to be used in an automobile, and is an improvement on the extinguisher disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 681,678, filed September 3, 1957, now Patent No. 2,950,723, issued August 30, 1960.

When a cigarette or cigar is discarded in prior art ash trays, the butt often is improperly extinguished, and continues to smolder for a considerable time. This not only produces irritating fumes, but it also presents a fire hazard, particularly when a butt is incompletely extinguished in a car ash tray and then thrown from the car while driving through a fire hazard area.

The extinguisher of my copending application overcomes the above difliculties by providing an extinguisher containing a non-inflammable liquid which'insures positive extinguishing of cigarettes, cigars, and the like. Thus, the extinguisher avoids lingering and irritating fumes from smoldering butts, and eliminates the fire hazard presented by incompletely extinguished butts.

The extinguisher of my copending application works satisfactorily, but it requires some attention in maintaining the liquid in the ash tray at the desired level. The improvement of this invention provides an extinguisher which is automatically-kept filled withliquid at thede sired level without any attention, except occasional filling of'a relatively large reservoir.

Briefly, this invention contemplates a liquid-filled extinguisher system for an automobile. The system includes a liquid reservoir connected to a container by a conduit. Means sensitive to temperature changes in the automobile engine are provided for moving fluid between the reservoir and the container to keep the liquid in the container at a desired operating level.

In the preferred form, the system includes a flexible diaphragm which is displaced in response to temperature variations in an automobile radiator, causing liquid to be pumped from the reservoir to the liquid-filled container. An overflow line prevents the container from overflowing, and returns excess liquid to the reservoir. Thus, the liquid in the container is maintained at a level determined by the overflow line.

These and other aspects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which is a schematic arrangement of the presently preferred form of the structure included in the invention, certain parts being broken away and shown in section.

Referring to the drawing, a liquid reservoir is divided by a liquid-impermeable baffle 11 into a first chamber 12 and a second chamber 13. The first chamber is further divided by a liquid-impermeable and flexible diaphragm 14 into a first compartment 15, and a second compartment 16. The first compartment is connected by an actuating fluid line 17 to the circulating system of a pressurized radiator 18 of an automobile (not shown).

A fluid line 19, which includes a first check valve 20,

is connected at one end to the second compartment of the first chamber, and at its other end by a flexible coupling 22 to an outwardly extending conduit 23 at the upper end of a container 24 adapted to receive cigarette and cigar butts, and the like. An overflow line 26 is connected at one end by flexible coupling 28 to an overflow discharge conduit 30 at the upper portion of the container, and is connected at its other end to the second chamber of the reservoir. A return line 32, which includes a second check valve 34, is connected at one end to the second chamber of the reservoir, and at the other end to the second compartment of the first chamber of the reservoir.

Make-up, or. replacement liquid is added to the reservoir through a filler spout 36 opening into the second chamber 13 and adapted to be closedby a screw type cap38. I

The reservoir and the rest of the system are filled with liquid by firstremoving the cap 38 and pouring liquid into the second chamber of the reservoir through the filler spout 36. The fluid used can be any suitable non-inflammable, non-toxic material, preferably one with a relatively low vapor pressure and reasonably low freezing point. I have found that a solution made up of one gallon of water, four pounds of calcium chloride, and one ounce of oil of pine, results in a liquid which has a suitabl low vapor pressure, does not readily, freeze, andprovides a pleasant scent. v v

The second check valve 34 is arranged to permit flow of fluid as shown by the arrow from the second chamber to the first chamber and prevents flow of fluid in the opposite direction through the return line 32. Thus, as liquid is poured into the second chamber, it flows through the return. line 32, check valve 34, and fills the second compartment of the first chamber. Liquid is also poured into the container until it is filled to the level of the overflow line. The system is now ready for use. To extinguish a cigarette or cigar, thesrno ker simply immerses the burning tip in the fluid in'the liquid inthe ash tray, and then discards the extinguished butt in a separate ash tray (not shown) provided for that-purpose.

The first compartment of the first chamber is connected as shown to the water system of the radiator and as a consequence is always full of water. As the automobile is operated, the water in the radiator is heated, developing a pressure of 2 to 6 lbs. per square inch on the left side (as viewed in the drawing) of the diaphragm in the reservoir, causing the diaphragm to be moved to the right as shown by the dotted line in the drawing. Liquid is thus displaced from the second compartment through the supply line and into the container. The first check valve 20 in the supply line 18 permits the flow o-ffluid in the direction of the arrow, i.e., from the second compartment into the ash tray, and prevents flow of liquid in the op posite direction. I

Any excess liquid in the container flows through the overflow line and returns to the second chamber in the reservoir. When the temperature of the water in the radiator decreases, say, due to the automobile being stopped or coasting down hill, the pressure in the radiator is reduced so that the displaced diaphragm moves toward the left, drawing liquid from the second chamber of the reservoir through the return line, and into the second compartment, which is now recharged for supplying additional liquid to the container the next time the temperature of the water in the radiator increases. container is continually supplied with liquid so that the liquid level remains at that determined by the overflow line connected to the container. This condition prevails as long as there is adequate liquid in the reservoir, which is of suflicient capacity to require filling at infrequent intervals. The only liquid that need be added to the reser- Thus, the

. temperature variation of the engine. For example, a bimetallic element 40 is mounted'in the reservoir to move.

in response to engine temperature, and displace the flexible diaphragm-accordingly; As shown in the drawing, when the engineis atone temperature, say cool, the bimetallic element and diaphragm are in the position shown by the solid line. When the engine is operated, and the water temperature increases, the bimetallic element-moves and forces the diaphragm to the dotted line position shown in the drawing; thus pumping water to (the container 24. Any small variation in water temperature, say due to varying load on the engine, causes a slight reciprocation of the element and diaphragm, thus pumping water tothe container. Ordinarily, the make-up liquid requirement is low and mere warm-up of a cold engine is more than adequate to pump the amount of liquid necessary to keep the liquid at the desired level in the container.

I claini:

' llfA-liquid-filled extinguishing system for an automobile-having an engine; the system comprising a reservoir adapted to' hold a liquid; a container, supply conduit means connecting the "container to thereservoir, pumping means operative inresponse to temperature changes for moving fiuid between the reservoir and the container, and means for transferring heat between the engine and the pumping means to operate the pumping means.

2. A liquid-filled extinguishing system for an automobile having a radiator, the system comprising a reservoir adapted to hold a liquid, a container, supply conduit ,4 I ing means to operate the pumping means and an overflow line connected to the container and the reservoir for returning excess liquid from the container to the reservoir.

4. A liquid-filled extinguishing system for an automobile having a radiator, the system comprising a first chamber adapted to hold a liquid, a container, a supply conduit connecting the container to the first chamber, a second chamber, an overflow line connecting the container to the second chamber, a returnv line connecting the two chambers, a first check valve in the supply conduit to permit liquid flow from the first chamber to the container and prevent it in the other direction, a second check valve in theqreturn conduit to permit liquid fiow from the second chamber to the first and prevent it in the other direction, pumping means operative in response to temperature changes for moving fluid from the first chamber to the container, and means for transferring heat between the radiator and the pumping means to operate the pumping means.

5. A liquid-filled extinguishing system for an automobile having a water-filled radiator, the system comprising a reservoir adapted to hold a liquid, a liquid-impermeable baffle disposed in the reservoir to divide .it into first and second chambers, a liquid-impermeable and flexible diameans connecting the container to the reservoir, pump ing means opeantive in'response to temperature changes for moving fluid between the reservoir and the container and means for transferring heat between the radiator and the pumping means to operate the pumping means.

3. A liquid-filled extinguishing system for an automobile having a radiator, the system comprising a reservoir adapted to hold a liquid, 3' container, a supply conduit connecting the container to the reservoir, pumping means operative in response to temperature changes for moving fluid from the reservoir ot the container, means for transferring heatbetween the radiator and the pumpphragm disposed in thefirs't chamber to divide it into first and second compartments, a fluid line connected to the first'com-partment and the automobile radiator, asupply line connected to the second compartment and to the container, an overflow line connected to the container'and the second chamber, a return line connected to the second compartment andsecond chamber, a first check valve in the supply line for permitting flow through the line only in the direction from the second compartment to the container, and a'second check valve in the return line to permit liquid flow through the line only in thedlirection from the second chamber to the second compartment.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mack-ey July 10, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 2 98 l 263 April 25 1961 Arthur C. Elswood It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Column 1, line 72 after "fluid"-v insert supply column 3, line 34 for "opeartive" read operative line 43, for '01:? read to Signed and sealed this 31st day of October 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 

